A Bardic Song of Self-Inserted Adventure!
by SilasWinterthorn
Summary: A drunken night of Tales of Symphonia leaves me stranded in the middle of my adolescent fantasies. What happens when the going gets weird? The weird turn pro.
1. The Opening Note

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia, or any other related media that I may reference in this story. Hell, I probably stole this disclaimer from a fan fiction I read long ago.

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My name is Andrew. Since you disregarded my advice to burn this journal, I should give you some background.

I am 22 years old. I live in a small town where drug usage is highest in my country.

I like to dress in costume and fight with fake swords with friends on the weekends. We call it LARPing.

I'm engaged to be married.

I hate my job.

I write.

I used to play this video game called Tales of Symphonia in my spare time every once in a while, in which Lloyd Irving takes his party of heroes on a quest to save… You get my meaning.

Two weeks ago, I found this game in a marketplace on vacation. I paid too much money to a man with too much free time in order to play a game I've beaten too many times oh so long ago. The rotund shopkeep told me that I'd like revisiting my adolescence with this game. Coming home, I grabbed a six pack of beer and began to drunkenly amble down memory lane. I don't remember how far I got into the journey of Regeneration

I woke up in a field surrounded by green grasses, blue skies, and silence. As sweet zephyrs softly buffeted my torso, I realized that my craft beer-soaked clothes were replaced by my Bardic garb: a simple cerulean tunic that reached my knees, bound by a blue, purple and silver braided belt, which were accompanied by my flowing midnight-hued cape paired with matching trousers nearly covering my cheap leather sandals. The only thing missing was my foam pointed ears. Tucking my long hair behind an ear, I found the skin to taper off into a point naturally.

"Unreal." I gasped, the first words out of my mouth since I swore under my breath at the dastardly old console that threatened to tear my pressed piece of perfection when I first drunkenly inserted the disc. "Well, Silas is part Elf." It wasn't long before I got my bearings. Even in the possible dream of Sylvarant, the area seemed solid. "I'm north of Hakonesia Peak, which puts me nearest to Asgard." With naught to my name but the clothes on my back, I set my internal compass to town.

With the Sun beginning his descent into the western horizon, I found myself bereft of any way to properly defend myself against, well, anything. I picked up the pace, hoping to weasel my way into a safe place to sleep. I cut against the woods, wary of the gargantuan insects chittering within. The gate, as well as the dreams of food and shelter seemed tantalizingly within reach. "C'mon." I cajoled myself between gasps as my knees pumped. I made the mistake of coming too close within the tree line, and I felt a sudden weight on my cape. Twisting my torso towards my foe, I caught a glimpse of a Thief's bandana. "Gorramnit!" I barked brusquely as he brandished a knife. "I don't have any money! I'm a monk!" Needless to say, he did not seem pleased.

"I guess I'll just have to take it out of your hide!" He returned as he brought the knife down on my back. With a frantic jerk, I was able to turn the lethal blow into a graze down my side. The white-hot pain of the knife seared its way down as I kicked him off of my cape with the wild roar of a cornered beast. Tick one point for not dreaming. My mind raced for answers, for a word, for a phrase. In a fit of desperation, I assumed my casting stance. Left hand and foot pointed toward the foe. Deep breath. Time slowed. My heart fluttered as he scrambled to his feet. "My power shoves thee." He stood up, ready to pounce. "My power shoves thee!" He began to advance on me in a dead run. "My Power Shoves Thee! SHOVE!" The winds picked up, hearing my call. The thief stopped, only to be flung back to the tree with a pained grunt, the force of the impact separating him from his dagger. Taking my chance, I dove for the short blade and thrust it up through his ribcage, expelling hot blood and shuddered gasps in one fluid motion.

I began to hear ragged breath, it took a moment for me to realize that I was the source as the man before me gave his last moments ago. Still high on adrenaline, I swiped his purse and attached it to my belt, as well as the knife, quickly cleaned with a wipe on the ground. Heart rate returning to normal, I felt the nagging pang of guilt gnaw at my stomach. "Forgive me. Rest in Peace, brother." I blurted out to the corpse. The Sun shone red as it began to hide behind the cliffs behind Asgard. On shaky legs, I entered the City of Ruins. In the shadow of the mountains, I saw none but distant figures disappearing into homes. I checked the purse. 1000 Gald, much more than I'd ever expect from one of his kind. Shaking my head, I strolled over to the inn – Vortex Inn. With a creak of the door, I entered. My stomach growled at my priorities, only to be drowned out by the thumping of my heart. "R-Room please." I stuttered out.

"200 Gald for a night, sonny." The elder lady replied warmly from behind the counter. I produced what seemed to be a fifth of my blood money and silently slid it over to her. "Thank you. Your bed is right through that doorway." I muttered a word of thanks before rounding the corner. The room was empty, save for a younger woman smoothing out the beds. We exchanged brief words of greeting as I removed my flowing cape and folded it out beside me. A more awake person would be wary about sleeping in the company of strangers, but my befuddled brain would have none of it. I kicked my sandals off and placed them under my bed shortly before climbing under the pale green cover. As I drifted off into the ether, I made a mental checklist, in case I woke up in the same bed.

-Find more money and a better blade: Everything that the world owes me.

-Find the Chosen, and try to piggyback on her journey of Regeneration

-Sort life out, buy milk.

I chuckled to myself quietly before losing consciousness.

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A/N: I got Tales of Symphonia about a decade ago, right about the time as I got into writing as a hobby. I promised myself that one day, I'd make a self-insert fan fiction and make it all the way through the final battle. The time has come for me to take up the pen. I hope you enjoy this story at least a fraction of what I do. Thank you for reading, and I do enjoy any and all reviews.


	2. A Journey of a Thousand Miles

Disclaimer: I still own no part of Tales of Symphonia, or any media that I may reference within this story.

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I awoke with a view of dust motes and wooden beams illuminated by Dawn's rose fingertips still in my garb. Giving a disgruntled grumble to no one in particular I rose to my feet, donning my cape and sandals. Miraculously, my wound healed perfectly, leaving no trace of scarring whatsoever. After a quick morning stretch, I left the inn, rubbing the harsh natural light out of my eyes. My stomach grumbled in protest, and I gave it a good rub to placate the cavernous beast. The stairs to the grocer seemed to be a mountain after a day of running. The smell of fresh produce dragged my vegetarian nostrils to the store, where I shelled out 300 Gald for food essentials. I walked out to the stone walkway leading out over the cliff and enjoyed what was essentially an un-tossed salad as the Sun began to bathe the cliffs in a bronze glow.

Finishing my meal, I rolled onto my side to find something hard against my thigh. After a moment's difficulty in producing the object from tightly-sewn pockets, I found my Bardic Little Black Book, my tool for remembering all of my verbals and enchantments. "Wonderful." I whispered mirthfully as I took a glance through my spell list. The more powerful spells and songs seemed to fade from the page as I looked on, leaving but a handful of the tools of the Whirling Dervish. After a moment of familiarizing myself with my incants and effects, I stood up with book in hand. After casting off the scraps into the gorge below, I made my way back toward the weapon shop, Typhoon. Amongst the weapons, I found an old iron short sword, perfect for me. It took a bit of haggling, but I was able to trade it for the dagger and 500 Gald I had remaining in my wallet.

With no prospects, I set on inquiring around the village for rumors about the whereabouts of the Chosen's entourage. After a morning full of false leads, I decided to head East for the Balacruf Masoleum, to make sure the group hadn't already came and left the area. With nothing but the dirt road leading me and a tune in my head for company, I left the City of Ruins behind. As the Sun reached its zenith overhead, I heard the rustling of tall grass and a gnashing of mandibles. Turning around, I stood eye to eyes with a grasshopper the size of a horse. It hissed. I returned with a shriek, which could pierce sensitive eardrums with the sheer volume of testosterone dripping from the falsetto screech. I reached for my sword, taking a swing at its armored head. My blow more or less bounced off of its carapace, which only served to anger it. With a swing of its bladed appendage, I was left with a torn tunic and a bloodied bicep.

New plans formed in my mind, most revolving around running away. Pushing the thoughts from my mind, I searched my mind and book for a spell. With a burst of inspiration, I jumped back and began to sing a battle ballad. "As I advance upon you with a swing of my blade, you shall cower in fear as you feel crushing pain!" It chittered and sliced, but I juked to the side, raining down savage blows onto the creature's many legs, my Song of Battle imbuing my swings with crushing strength. It tried to turn, but as it moved, the exoskeleton began to crack and separate, leaving the soft meat underneath exposed. With a shout and a flourish, I separated limb from thorax and abdomen, causing the insectoid to flail for a moment before stilling, helped to the afterlife by the tip of my sword in the beast's head.

Worn out by the song, I halted my singing with a contented smile. I began to sheath my sword, only to have the back of my head meet the dive-bombing body of a giant beetle, which introduced me to the sweet taste of Sylvarant dirt. I rolled to the side upon finding myself prone, to barely miss the impact of another body slam. The beetle shakily began to take flight once more, which called my sword to action. I took a slice at the fragile wings of the creature, divorcing it from the sky. Three frenetic stabs later, and I let my body shake and shudder at the carnage I wrought. Stepping away from the organic wreckage, I found their nest, along with some produce and Gald procured from unsuspecting travelers. "Well, I've seen weirder things in nests." I muttered as I pocketed the meager pickings.

I resumed my stroll down the road, actively avoiding the any nests and ambush parties along the way. As I walked, I felt myself becoming progressively weaker. I took a look at my arm wound to find the site green and lined with yellow pustules. "That can't be good." I muttered before taking a look at my spell book to check on an incantation before closing it. I placed a free hand on the injury, holding back a hiss of pain. "From thy ailment thou art released. Release!" With a surge of energy, the pustules and green color faded, leaving only the bleeding gash. "Better than dyin'." I reminded myself as I began to feel the weakness fade from my form. Soon after, I found a fork in the road. In the distance to the north, I saw the House of Salvation. The thought of a warm bed mingled with my mind for a moment before I shook my head. "Miles to go before I sleep."

The road stretched on with the day, leaving me with the gentle sound of wind, the tangy taste of a Kirima fruit and a couple monster battles carefully fought for resources and extra Gald. With a jingling purse and a pants-full of a pantry, I finally found the large wooden bridge connecting the continent with the small island. As my feet swept across wood, the thought occurred that I might not even be taken in by the party as a completely mysterious stranger with no apparent background, as Kratos had already taken the role of such. A flash of inspiration struck me like a giant beetle. "I'm a wandering bard, taking from the ancient tradition of the Balacruf dynasty in oral tradition being passed through troupes of blade-singers." The idea went through a couple of mental filters as I fleshed out my story. I smiled to myself as thoughts of interacting with my wildest adolescent dreams danced through my psyche.

Afternoon turned to evening as I traversed the island. The Sun set, setting the sky ablaze as the Mausoleum came into view. A bit of jogging later, and I found myself within the stone fence of the ruins. Ragged from my journey, I staggered up to the entrance of the ruin, finding a closed stone door. "Excellent. I'm not too late." Hunger pangs reminded me of my human needs, so I began to gather twigs and branches for a campfire. The sky turned from a burning red to a cosmic blue as the moon began to rise into the sky. After a few moments of swearing and rubbing, I set my pile of wood alight in the corner of the ruins. Taking stock of what I had, I toasted a couple rolls pilfered from a small party of bloodthirsty murder-hobos and made a few sandwiches of cabbage and fruit. After eating my fill, I sat by the crackling fire and gazed up at the stars overhead.

Thoughts of home began to enter my mind. I have dogs at home, a fiancée as well. I have a job, a bed, a hot shower, and a full fridge, all of which seemed painfully distant. The dreams of adventure seemed overshadowed by doubt, questions, and the abnormally large clump of dirt digging into my spine. I stared up at the sky for longer than I'd remember. As the moon watched over me, I drifted off to sleep after sending off a little prayer to the heavens that I would remain unburned and unstabbed through the night. "Goodnight moon, goodnight puppies, goodnight my love." I whispered to myself.

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A/N: Still working on the pacing of this creation, so bear with me as I try to find the niche. As before. I appreciate all reviews. Thank you for reading!


	3. Of Wind and Whimsy

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia, or any other thing I might reference within this work.

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The young Dawn's rosy fingertips awoke me with a bitch-smack of light to my face as the tourists of the mausoleum began to stir in their camps. Tourists' cookfires set the smell of charred meats wafting through the air as I sat up and began to eat the meager pickings left over from last night. "Still alive; blessing counted." I reminded myself as I reached my full height, stretching out the knots in my back from the uneven ground. I walked around to the entrance of the ruin once more, smiling with satisfaction at the sight of a closed door. Upon further inspection, I noted that the brick surrounding the entrance had grown rough and jagged in the years of erosion. "This place is more or less a step pyramid. I could get a better look from the top of this place than any tree or mountain." I noted.

With a deep breath, I began to climb up the small walls. Handholds were plentiful but shallow as I ascended, guided by years of rock-climbing sandstone freehanded. It wasn't long before I sat at the plateau directly below the seal itself. Staring out into the wild blue sky in the west, it wasn't long before I saw a small crowd of people come up on the trail. "Chosen Ho!" I announced to no one in particular as I carefully descended a wall, stopping to hang my legs over the entrance way. I adopted a bored look, burying my nose into my little black book before deciding on propping my chin on my hands. I shifted between both, muttering to myself in a constant refrain. "Hello Chosen's Entourage, I am Silas Winterthorn, and I'd like to join your adventure." I closed my eyes and furrowed my brows in frustration, feeling the salutations tumble awkwardly off of my tongue. "Hello Chosen's entourage, I-" I opened my eyes to the sound of boots upon stone, shaking me from my thoughts. "Oh, h-hello!" I announced to the party as I felt warmth flood into my face.

I attempted to shut my book with one hand, only to have it tumble awkwardly and fall to the stone ten feet below. "That doesn't go there." I joked, hoping to ease the tension that sought to cut off all air from my quivering chest. Taking a hop down the cliff, I spun, grabbing my book and stopping with a flourish of my outstretched arms. "Hello Chosen's entourage! My name is Silas Winterthorn, and I'd like to join your adventure!"

Silence emanated from the party for a beat, until Lloyd finally spoke up. "Uh, is he a performer or something?" He inquired to the half-elf child beside him. Without missing a beat, I jumped up onto the altar with the grace of a drunken dancer, striking a pose with a single finger stretched up to the sky.

"The Balacruf tradition of the Bardic Order echoes far and wide through oral history! Where the ruins and temples of old were dedicated to the achievements of an empire, so were the Bards dedicated to the great people who achieved these feats! I have taken it upon myself to accompany the Seventh Chosen of Mana on her Journey of Regeneration, writing songs and weaving magnificent tales to enlighten the world for centuries to come!" Keeping an exaggerated grin on my face, I lowered my finger to the silver-haired half-elf woman hanging in the back with an incredulous look plastered on her face. "I've come to accompany you, Chosen One!"

"Um, I'm the Chosen, not Raine." The blonde girl piped up as she took a step forward, clutching a stone slab in her arms. She tripped over the difficult terrain that was the smooth stone floor, causing the slab to take its first flight in the Chosen Space Program. The altar reacted to the stone, shifting out to accommodate a slot in which to insert the Map. Without losing my balance, I caught the slab, and placed it into its resting spot. The Oracle stone substantiated from the ether, eliciting another smile from me.

"Excellent throw, Chosen one." I remarked, hopping off the altar onto the floor in front of her. I offered my hand to her, which proved to be a disaster as she nearly took me down with her as well when she rose to her feet. "You alright?" I inquired, to be met with a cheerful affirmative. "Well then, Chosen one, would you have a humble bard to accompany you on your journey?"

"This isn't a walk through the fields with song and dance. This is about protecting the Chosen from the trials of the Journey of Regeneration. It seems you even lack an exsphere" Kratos interjected as he approached me, a hand kept on the handle of his long sword. I kept a steely gaze on the magical swordsman, taking an aggressive step forward.

"My talents are sufficient enough until time comes that I should need one. Trust me." I retorted. "Most, if not all bards have some sort of martial training, a must when travelling the world. I made it this far from Asgard alone, so I have already proven myself of combat proficiency." I continued, leaving out the part where I nearly died in each encounter. He closed his eyes, weighing the options. After a long, deep breath, he opened his eyes.

"Well, Chosen One, what do you think?" He inquired as he spun on his heel to face Colette. I turned to see a bewildered look on her face. Looking back on it, I realize that the look was perpetually etched upon her visage.

"Um, If he truly wishes to see the Regeneration through, then why not? We could always use the extra help!" She replied warmly, her hands clasping at her chest as a show of sincerity.

Kratos gave a glance back at me over his shoulder. "I shall follow the Chosen's wishes. Don't fall behind." His brow furrowed in a subtle display of dominance. I smiled and nodded, giving a brief verbal acknowledgement of his statement. "We should get going." He grumbled as he directed his attention toward the Oracle stone.

"Yeah, right!" She walked up to the stone and carefully placed her hand upon the altar. With a shudder of stone, the way opened up. The dark interior of the temple sat just beyond the entryway, whispering from the winds within. "Alright!" She cheered.

"Let's just get this one over with." Lloyd whined as we all entered the ruins.

The cool stone walls awaited us inside. Unnatural breezes howled past us, carrying the sound of gnashing spike traps. "Keep on your guard, for the night is dark and full of terrors." I quipped. The spike traps were easy enough. Every creature that crawled the mausoleum was dispatched by Lloyd, Genis, Raine, and Kratos, leaving Colette and myself to sit by the wayside. The smooth stone leading into the dark abyss below stopped me from casting all but the occasional Shove or two on any unsuspecting earthbound monster. After calming the harsh winds and navigating the spike traps, we finally made our way to the windmill room. With a careful clearing of the room, Lloyd's use of the Sorcerer's Ring finally opened the door to the sky with a whirring of windmills.

"We're finally at the altar… I'm so sick of dungeons." Lloyd griped as we reached the top of the stairs. The fog permeating the air cutting off the view from all but anything in front of our immediate range.

"You have no patience." Kratos and I retorted simultaneously. My childish grin in his direction was met by a steely glare.

"Wait, can't you feel that mana?" Genis interrupted. With a quiver of my spine, I felt the telltale sense of the primal energy of the universe as. I looked around. Both Kratos and Raine seemed drained from the arduous task of healing the injured party, so I stepped forward, pointing at the trio of Colette, Genis, and Lloyd.

"Lloyd, front-line for us; I can keep you on your feet. Colette, run interference. Genis, keep us up on any Earth magic, tell me when you're running out of juice." I barked as I produced my sword and book. I looked through the pages, keeping up on my spells. The wind howled around us, dispelling the mist. What seemed to be a large humanoid bird of paradise stepped out from the dais onto the sandy brick. Immediately, I could feel the whisper of mana effervesce from the creature. I sprinted up before it could finish and pointed my book toward the creature. "Concentration Break!" I shouted, feeling my own energy cut through its own, causing the casting to momentarily cease. "Now, Lloyd!" I shouted. He began his barrage, only to be buffeted by a flurry of feathers. He took a step back, and immediately I could see the pain and fatigue on his face.

"Silas!" Lloyd shouted as the two traded blows with the support of Genis and Colette's attacks. I ran up behind him, keeping my distance from the rain of blows on both sides. "Be a bastion of healing." I chanted under my breath thrice before leaning forward, laying my book upon Lloyd's bloodied shoulder. "Battlefield Triage!" I shouted, feeling the positive energy flow from my hand into Lloyd. Taking a glance back, I noted quickly that Genis began to switch from his powerful Stalagmite to his less intensive Stone Blast. I ran back in an attempt to help, catching a feather in my shoulder for the trouble. I tucked my sword under my arm and clasped my hands together before placing a hand on Genis's tiny torso. "Empower!" I shouted as the last of my reserve energy flowed from my body to his own. "Now blast 'em, damnit!"

The young mage started rhythmically spinning his kendama and building up energy. Breathlessly chanting, he quickly shunted the mana into a spell. "Pancake time!" He intoned wryly. "Stalagmite!" The stone floor crackled as a crag of enormous rock flung the creature up into the air. Without looking, I felt the purity of light magic fill the air, a prayer from the teenaged angel. With a shout, prismatic feathers pierced the creature. An odd energy filled me as Lloyd began to jump up to meet the creature with a vertical spinning of his blades. With a speed of my tongue nearly unheard of, I Shoved Lloyd further into the air. His blades took the momentum and brought the guardian of the seal down low with a wind-spun whirl. It silently hissed as it faded into the ether.

My lungs quivered as my heart rate started slowing. I sheathed my sword and pocketed my book to have my hands hit my knees. "Exhilarating." I gasped. "I'm going to have to write a song of this." As the battle quieted, the altar began to shift. With the seal broken, the whisper of Sylph's awakening sent a shudder through my skin. I sat back, mouth agape as Colette approached the altar, offering her prayers to the goddess, Martel. My thoughts drifted to my own God. Could he hear me even in my possible dream, or this possible alcohol poisoning-induced coma? My reverie was shaken by the appearance of the green-clad angel appearing from the skies above the center of the altar. The angelic resonance of the two blondes drifted down to my nostrils, filling them with what smelled like warm vanilla. Entrenched in the scent, I completely missed their conversation. I took a look up to see Colette standing toward the group with her hands clasped, expressing her excitement on mantling the angelic condition.

"We should get going." I replied, synching my comment with Kratos's once more. I giggled a manly giggle as he gave a defeated sigh in my general direction. We all turned to file back into the temple. A couple of hallways later, and the light of the outside seemed so close at hand. The warmth of the Sun nearly kissed my skin before a command filled my ears.

"Stop!" I turned my attention to the origin of the command with feigned ignorance, giving my head a quick befuddled scratch.

"That voice…" Lloyd started.

"Oh, no." Genis continued.

"The day has finally come! This ancient ruin shall be your graveyard…" The would-be assassin taunted.

"Hell of a lot better than anything I could afford, sister. I thank yeh." I replied with a smile.

"Now is not the time for games! Prepare yourselves!"

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A/N: It's been a while since I've written a lot of dialogue, so my writing may be a bit blocky. Thank you for reading this. I appreciate all reviews!


	4. Lies upon Lies

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia, nor do I own every pop culture reference that I may blurt out in the course of this misadventure.

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"Protect the Chosen!" I bellowed as the Resolute Assassin charged us from the side hallway of the temple. Kratos, Lloyd, Raine and I stepped forward to meet the foe. Throwing down a small scroll without breaking stride, she quickly found back-up in the form of what seemed to be a floating spirit with avian features. I heard her mutter something somberly as she continued her advance. "I'll take out the mook first!" I shouted. "The Summoned one!" I clarified immediately. Turning my side to the large creature, I crouched, adopting a fencing stance. Sure, I had only passing instruction in the sport by someone in my old church group about a year ago, but my feet found their proper place well enough. Getting in close, I began moving laterally and taking quick thrusts at it, hoping to keep my head through the wild flailing of the monster's long limbs. A couple of wild smacks to the noggin later, and I had already begun to see stars. Shaking my head, I realized that the momentum of my jabs bought me enough vigor to begin my Song of Battle.

"You're trying to block my shots? Impossible! Everyone knows that my lyrical array is unstoppable!" I belted as my thrusts turned into swift shops and slices as I crashed the defenses of the creature. The blazing pain in my skull drifted as I felt the deft touch of Raine's healing arts resonate through my form. As I chipped away at its corporeal form augmented by my continuous singing, my swings flew wider as I let up on my defensive stance. Mid-slice, I didn't even notice its monstrous golf swing aimed directly at my torso. My vision blurred as I saw nothing but the ceiling of the mausoleum above as I sailed through the sky. My back hit stone, and I was sent skidding near the edge of the floor. I caught enough friction to keep from flying over the cliff, and I staggered up to my feet to see Lloyd dispelling the summon's corporeal form with a stab to the chest.

I quickly took stock of the situation. Raine had fallen under the attacks of the assassin's seals, which left Kratos's energy dedicated to the arduous task of keeping Lloyd vertical as him and the assassin traded blows. I began to run back into the fray, only to see Lloyd fall under the weight of so much abuse. Kratos began his charge, and I noted that he favored one leg – he was nearly down for the count himself. As the raven-haired woman began her final assault on the mercenary, I held out my book, spine pointed toward her. "I command thy attention sirrah!" I intoned thrice as Kratos kept a desperate defense. "Insult!" I shouted, feeling the overt Command reach her psyche. He fell to his knees as Sheena stopped her attack abruptly and turned toward me with a mix of confusion and anger present on her face. "C'mon Sister! I'm the one you want!" I shouted.

"I'll make you regret siding with them!" She replied as she began her advance on me. I threw up a defense, only for her to crash it with exsphere-enhanced strikes. Wracking pain shot up my arm as I kept up the futile effort of positioning my sword between us. I spun on my heel, dodging a Pyre Seal that sailed by my body.

"Calm as still water." I took calculated strike up her arms, trying to slow her advancing attacks.  
"Swift as a deer!" I dropped down to my knees, only to clumsily roll down to her flank.  
"Strong as a bear!" I sliced up her leg like a coiled spring as she attempted to spin to meet my blows.  
"Fierce as a wolverine!" I took the break in her guard to rain down strikes onto her side myself.

She managed to block one of my swings, and I paid for my insolence with a Power Seal aimed directly at my chest. My second foray into human flight followed as I felt my body hit a stone wall behind me, knocking all of the air out of my lungs. With a gasp, I weakly managed to climb to my feet as the woman began to close in for the coup de grace. I erupted in raucous laughter, which stopped her dead in her tracks. Tensing up, she kept a fierce glare at me as I slowly stopped my fit. "Why are you laughing?" She inquired as I let out the last of my shudder of chuckles.

"Because Sister, you forgot that I'm not the only fighter still standing." Before she could react, Kratos took a wild stab into her shoulder, bringing the assassin down cold. Without thinking, I ran to Lloyd and Raine, helping them up to their feet with Colette and Genis's assistance. I cast a glance back to the girl, who managed to stand, her hair scattered and her robe frayed, showing splotches of red underneath.

"Why… Why can't I win?" She exclaimed with tears in her eyes, clutching her most recent stab wound.

"Because Goodness and Love will always win!" Genis replied enthusiastically, which elicited a grunt of dissatisfaction from more than half of the party.

"'Goodness'!? What do you mean 'goodness'!? If you're good, than I'm good as well!" She barked desperately, which evoked mixed reactions from the party, all sharing the same tune of confusion.

"We're all glorious shining star children to our friends and family!" I pitched in jokingly, drawing Lloyd's ire.

"Everyone, stop saying corny things!" He bellowed, which caused me to giggle slightly.

"What do you know!? When you regenerate the world, my country will be destroyed!" More looks of confusion abound. I mimicked their reactions for the sake of blending in. "I won't let that happen, I swear it!"

Colette piped up, clasping her hands over her chest once more. "Wait, what are you talking about? If I regenerate the world, everyone will be saved, right?"

"…This world will be saved!" Taking advantage of everyone's shocked reaction, she swiftly retreated into the darkness of the ruins. The group began to chatter amongst themselves, and I happened to glance at Kratos as he scanned my face for a reaction, or lack thereof. After a dissatisfied look, he turned back toward the exit, prompting everyone else to follow.

We hadn't taken more than a dozen steps into the fresh air before Colette collapsed, to have the Romeo in Red, Lloyd, catch her. "It's the Angel Toxicosis again. Let's hurry and let her rest." The Professor explained. I gave a confused scratch of my head. As Lloyd tended to the ill Chosen, Kratos silently strode over to me. We traded looks for a moment before he came in close.

"If you want to live through the night, you'll tell me everything." He threatened. I kept a cool smile for the magical swordsman before nodding. "Everything." He intoned. We began to make camp, and I called searching for firewood. "Well then, I might as well help you, Silas." Kratos offered. A shiver ran down my spine as I nodded and gave a wavering affirmative. The Sun began to dip into the sky over the mountains as we made our way to a small wooded area. We hadn't gotten more than 20 feet into the trees before I felt a cold steel sword at my throat. "I know for a fact that there's no such thing as the Balacruf order of Bards. Why are you here and why do you want to follow the Chosen?"

My hands started shaking at the chill of the blade mere inches from severing my head from my shoulders. "M-my name is Silas Winterthorn, and I'm an ancient historian." I lied. "I found an ancient piece of lore that suggested that the Holy Kharlan War wasn't all that the books said it was. It said something about multiple worlds, Th-That the Goddess Martel isn't truly a Goddess, and that the angels of Cruxis aren't all what they say they are!" I held up my hands in a defensive gesture. "I want to follow the Chosen to the Tower of Salvation for answers! I don't want to bring her harm! I swear it! I didn't want to alarm you or the Chosen's group for fear of you all ostracizing me!" His sword arm slacked a bit, where I could finally breathe without the fear of going skull-bowling.

"So, if you find the answers you seek, what are you going to do with them, out the entire Church of Martel?" His voice kept a rolling boil of aggression as his stance widened. I shook my head frenetically.

"I just want to see for myself! Professional curiosity, that's all. I'm not a religious person, per se, but the Church itself is doing good work in feeding the poor and healing the sick. Besides, nothing I'd ever say would mean a damn thing in the end." Seemingly satisfied with my answer, he put away his blade.

"I'll keep an eye on you, but for now, let's gather firewood. We've been gone too long." He turned away from me and we picked up the rest of the kindling in silence. The Sun had already begun to set behind the mountains by the time we got back, earning a disgruntled look from Genis, who had already prepared most of the ingredients. "Sorry, we were attacked in the forest." Kratos muttered dismissively.

"Uh, hey Genis, is there any chance you could cook a portion of that food without meat? I don't eat it, I'm vegetarian." I inquired nervously, which drew glances from the entire party.

"Vegetarian, is that contagious?" Lloyd asked the Professor, which earned a light smack on the back of the skull.

"Lloyd, a vegetarian is someone who doesn't eat meat, typically for spiritual reasons." She explained exasperatedly, which Lloyd seemed to accept with a rub to the back of his head. Genis gave a slow, thoughtful nod before setting up a smaller cookfire. The sky darkened to an amber hue before Genis doled out the food, allowing me a generous helping of stew in a pewter bowl. I gave a gracious thanks to him shortly before digging into the hot food. I could already feel the warmth soothing my aches and pains. Shortly afterward, we all merged the fires into one, and began to set up camp. Taking up a comfy spot of dirt, I sat down and began to look up at the stars. What seemed to be hours passed before I saw Colette and Lloyd walk off into the field away from the fire, engaged in quiet conversation for a moment before the swordsman came back to the fire by himself.

"Hey, Silas, since you're up, you want some coffee?" Lloyd offered as he began to rummage through his bag for equipment to make the stuff.

"Heck yeah." I stated simply with excitement pouring from my voice. "It's been a long time since I had a good cup." I began to help him grind the beans as he got water from a large canteen. "So, are you and Colette… Close?" I asked as he returned to the fire. I was met with a perplexed look.

"Of course we are! We've been friends since we were kids!" He replied innocently. I shook my head with a warm smile and the whisper of a chuckle escaping from my nostrils. I helped him finish up the preparation and took a cup of joe graciously. I sipped at the delicious ambrosia for a few moments, watching the famous coffee scene play out like it had so many times when I was a teenager. The emotions shared between the two tugged at my heartstrings, and suddenly I felt lonelier than I had in years. After sipping the last of my hot beverage, I placed the mug near the other equipment, and began to drift off into a fitful slumber.

I dreamt of simple things: My music library, and of friends and family. For a moment, I could hear the background music of the game play lightly in the distance. I felt the warmth of the couch beneath me. Soon after, the sensation faded, leaving me to drift off into a dreamless sleep.

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A/N: I'm still working on length of chapters. So far, I'm trying to do them each in one sitting for the sake of having multiple entries in a week. I won't burn out anytime soon, I promise. Thank you for reading, I appreciate any and all reviews.


	5. Ruin and Revelation

Disclaimer: I own nothing, Jon Snow. Especially Tales of Symphonia.

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I awoke from my slumber just as the sky began to shed its stars to mantle the rising Sun. The morning chill pierced my layers of clothing and wrapped my bones in its coat of frost. With a yawn, I stood up, packing up my meager possessions.

"Morning Silas!" Colette announced from the evening's dying fire. "Sleep well?" I began to stretch and brush the dust off of my cloak, giving a nod to the affirmative before approaching the Chosen.

"Like a rock, thanks." I replied, wiping the sleep from my eyes. "So, where are we headed to this morning? I'd gather Luin's a great choice for gathering information about the next seal." Sitting down next to her, Colette offered me a sandwich of her own design: A grand amount of sliced fruit mashed between two slices of toasted bread.

"I know how you don't eat meat, and this is my favorite kind of sandwich. Grandma would make this for me all the time." I gave a warm word of thanks to her as bit into the food. The tangy warm crunch of the sandwich brought a smile to my face. "The Professor said that we ought to try Luin, so I guess that's our next stop." She added. I took a glance around to the rest of the camp, which had more or less stirred from their slumber in the past minute. I ate in silence until the fire shrank to embers.

"So Silas, you said that you're going to writing a song about our journey. That sounds exciting! Do you know of songs about any of the other Chosen?" She finally spoke up as I finished the last of my breakfast.

"I don't. I wasn't able to learn much about my old Bardic order. My mentor was taken to a Human Ranch south of the mountains when I was younger, so I've more or less been on my own." I muttered. "I heard you destroyed the ranch. I doubt I'd ever see him again."

"Oh, but we managed to save everyone taken there! I'm sure you'll see him again!" She replied, trying to cheer my falsely-placed somber face. "We got all the humans out of the ranch!"

I pointed to my ears. "He wasn't taken to be a prisoner. He was conscripted. My mentor donned the Desian's helmet. I barely made myself free of their influence myself. If he did make it out, then he's probably fending for himself down there. Good riddance to bad rubbish. I don't buy into anyone being superior through blood. Actions are what define you, not history." I stood up, offering a hand to Colette to do the same. "You should pack up your stuff too. It looks to me like we've got a long day ahead of us."

It was short work packing up bedrolls and supplies, much easier than my old LARP camping trips. Memories came flooding back of nights drinking cheap beer over fires, of dirty people in soiled garb swapping filthy stories and raucous laughter. By the time my focus aligned itself with the present moment, everyone had long since readied up for the journey ahead. "Hey Silas, you with us?" Lloyd asked, leaning into my face. "You just dazed out on us, you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. Reminiscing takes me farther from here than I'd like." I mumbled, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. "Let's get going." Seemingly satisfied with my answer, he turned around, leading the group on the vast, open road. Between encounters, the walk was filled with naught but the shuffling of sixteen feet across grass and dirt. It wasn't long before my head filled with the familiar melody of music. My head bobbed to a silent beat as I walked. After a moment, Genis gave a wary glance to me.

"Silas, what's with you bobbing your head?" He asked, bringing the song to a pause.

"Oh, sometimes I get song stuck running through my head. It's all I can do to not burst out into a musical number most of the time." I gave a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of my head.

"You like to sing, Silas?" Raine turned her head to me, and my heart fluttered at the older woman's silver-framed face.

"Of course! It's the focus for my Bardic magic!" I beamed toward the professor.

"I heard you singing during the fight with that assassin. Is that some sort of spell?" Kratos chimed in, crushing the lightness in my chest.

"Yeah. I cast some of my spells through songs. As long as I sing, I can channel most of my abilities. Unfortunately, I only know my Song of Battle. I didn't get a chance to learn anything else before my mentor was taken away." I hung my head slightly, attempting to look mournful at the thought.

"Could you sing for us, Silas? I'd love to hear you sing!" Upon Colette's insistence, I threw my hands up in a defensive gesture.

"Time and a place for everything, guys. My singing isn't that great, which is mostly why I sing only in a fight. Most of my performing is done through dance." Upon my last statement, everyone's interest only magnified. I lowered my hands a bit. "Yeah. I need the music to dance to, though. So unless one of you has some instruments to pass out and play for me, I'm not going to break into song." The group seemed to calm down as we walked. The word "Z-Skit" flashed through my mind before I shoved it from my thoughts. The rest of the morning's travel seemed to be uneventful. It wasn't long before we stopped to pray at a House of Salvation. While everyone kneeled to the statue of the Goddess, I knelt down and began to whisper.

"Heavenly Father, I know you can hear me down here in this acid trip drunken blackout of a sophomoric fantasy. Give me strength in the days to come, should I be truly trapped in this story. Watch over her, them, all of them. In Christ's name I pray. Amen." After a brief glimpse of everyone else, I stood up and quietly began walking backward to the entrance. After a moment, they all slowly rose and accompanied me as we all exited out into the mid-morning Sun.

As we fought through our encounters, every glancing strike on a bug's carapace or game-ending blow to my torso brought me to one idea, beaten over and over into my body before every lengthy post-battle healing session: I needed an Exsphere to survive the journey in one piece. I played the role of support for the rest of the way north, letting the emasculation radiate from me as I sat and kept the fighters in shape. I continued my silent one person pity party until Luin became prominent upon the horizon. The stench of violence effervesced from the location, placing a pit of uneasiness into my stomach. Matching shocked reactions were worn by the party as we tried searching the eerily quiet wreckage for possible survivors.

Colette's assassin, Sheena, was the first sign of life found in the former city. We all adopted aggressive stances as the young woman knelt down upon the cracked earth, clutching an even fresher wound than before. "You! Now you're even over here?!" Genis jabbed. Upon inspecting her, Lloyd approached her with all of the tender caution that one would possess approaching a wounded animal.

"What happened? You're badly wounded." I gave a sigh as Lloyd pointed out the obvious, before mentally preparing myself for a fresh healing spell.

"Oh, it's you guys. If you want to finish me off, now's your chance." Sheena spat at Lloyd. Approaching her, I began to kneel down beside her, inspecting her wounds. "I don't have any strength left to fight."

"Alright, sister. How about this? You tell us what happened here, and I'll dose you up with some good ole' healing. Good as new. No foolin'." I made quick circles in the air with my palms faced toward her. "Wax on; Wax off." I ignored the confused look that she gave me.

"Wow, you're as gullible as you look." She muttered weakly as I adopted a wry smile, wagging a finger at her.

"Now sister, call me whatever you'd like. I'm offering help with very little on your part. Plus…" I leaned in closely, hoping that Colette wouldn't pick it up. "I know you've only got one more Guardian with you, and you don't want to use it for anything but an emergency." I pulled away with a finger across my smiling lips. After a beat, she gave a sigh.

"Take a look at this city, everything's in ruin. The Desians… invaded." She then hung her head weakly. Lloyd replied with a word of confusion and frustration, after which I placed a hand on her shoulder as the incantation ran wordlessly across my tongue. "Do you know about the Human Ranch northeast of here? The people of this city have been hiding some folks who escaped from the ranch. The Desians found out, and not only was the entire population forced to go to the ranch, but the city was destroyed."

Colette clasped her hands together, and I could already hear the obvious rolling off of her tongue before she even spoke. "So… How were you injured?" I steeled my nerves to prevent myself from slapping my palm against my forehead at the mention.

"It's nothing, I was just a little clumsy." I sighed, and began to chant out my Battlefield Triage spell. Before I could complete the incantation, the pained screams of what seemed to be an elderly man rang out through the air, which were followed by a man in priest's vestments followed by an unholy abomination unto the Lord. I jumped up and wheeled around, placing my blade between it and myself.

"It's Clara, she managed to get all the way here!" I lowered my blade as the memory of Dorr's wife flashed across my grey-matter. The priest took off and hid behind the rest of the group as Sheena struggled to her feet before approaching the beast with seals drawn.

"Stay back, you monster!" She howled bravely, shortly before a single sweep from the Thing That Really Should Not Be brought her low with a cry of pain. I could hear swearing behind me, coming from the red-tempered swordsman. Colette mantled her wings and buzzed up to meet the creature's gaze with a clasp of her hands.

"Clara, please calm down!" She pleaded. The creature gave long contemplation to her plea before smacking her out of the sky like an annoying house fly. The rest of the party surrounded the two with words of worry as the Chosen confirmed that she was fine, despite the colossal round of the Smack a Bitch Power Hour in which Clara was embroiled. I returned to Sheena's side, noting that the assassin's injuries only seemed to worsen. Kratos confirmed my diagnosis as I pulled out my spell book.

"Look sister. You're going to stay put this time. It aches me to get all worked up on this to not finish, so let me work my magic." I scolded jokingly before breathlessly incanting the spell. "Battlefield Triage." I intoned as I felt her wounds began to heal under my touch. I sat down, giving a sigh. "I've attached limbs with that power, sister, but I'm not exactly a pro at healing magic. We're lucky Madame Sage here has more experience." I gave a nod toward the mildly agitated Professor.

"You're just going to heal her and let it all be water under the bridge? You're way too softhearted for your own good." She accused. I dismissed her with a wave.

"Madame Sage, healing magic is used to heal the wounded. It's the gift of Life. We healers must give of ourselves selflessly as we practice restoring our brothers and sisters and even the world itself." I stood up, pulling Sheena up along with me. "I'm Silas Winterthorn, Bard Adventurer Extraordinaire. My compatriots gave me the pleasure of your label after our last tussle."

"Why did you save me?" I gave a roaring laugh at her question, sending her into a defensive position. Before I could answer her, Lloyd interjected.

"Probably for the exact same reason you saved that man." He muttered, which elicited a word of gratitude from our would-be assassin, which was followed with a soft sigh. "I know it's a selfish, unreasonable thing to say at this point, but…. I have a favor to ask of you." She followed sheepishly.

"A favor?" Asked Lloyd incredulously.

"I owe the people of this city for food and lodging. Please, help me save these people. If you agree, I'll declare a truce with you and help in any way I can." She continued. Before anyone could respond with any answers, I clapped a hand on her silk-garbed back and boomed "Of course we'll have you!"

"Surely you can't be serious." Raine grumbled dejectedly.

"Of course I'm serious! And don't call me Shirley!" I retorted, to have Colette echo my decision wholeheartedly, followed by the rest of the party to the Professor's chagrin.

"Fine, do as you wish. I do suppose if we look at it another way, it does mean we can keep a closer eye on her." Raine folded her arms as she leveled a steely gaze toward Sheena.

"Heh, you'd better watch out so you don't lose your head while you sleep." The assassin mimicked Raine's stance, sporting a smirk on top of that.

"Hey, don't make me Shove the both of you into the lake to cool off. We should get going as soon as possible. I reprimanded. The women gave a mutual huff before we began to file out of the ruined city. It wasn't long before Sheena was hitched in the rear of the group with me. Taking a sidelong glance at the voluptuous assassin, I saw the miniscule fox perched on her shoulder. "Is that… Is that a Summon Spirit, Sheena?" I asked. "Are you a summoner?" Keeping the childlike glee ever-present in my voice I got in close to the creature.

"Yeah, this is Corrine. How did you know about what I-" I cut her off with a single finger and an excited grin.

"Bards know a very old form of magic passed on from Paragon to Apprentice that predates bending the elements to our will. We have a connection to summon spirits in a way that most elementalist Mages do not. Like that Insult I threw at you back at the Mausoleum. You think that rage was all yours?" I pulled my hair behind my ears. "I got into your mind, sister. Don't worry, I'm not a mind reader… Yet." I was met with an uncomfortable stare and an even more uncomfortable silence. We continued that symphony all the way to the Human Ranch. The Sun started to descend into the horizon, only just beginning to paint fire across the skyline as we emerged from the surrounding forest.

The fortress of steel seemed swarming with uniformly-garbed Desians at the gates, giving us all pause. "The security is intense, radically different from the last one." Genis commented grimly.

Lloyd was the first to nod as he looked back from the gate. "Yeah. Even if we get inside…" I stepped forward to meet the red swordsman.

"I say we kick logic out and do the impossible!" I boomed, only to have the rest of the party shush me. "Hear me out." I muttered. "I don't mean to completely crash the party. I say we become the party. We'll sneak in. Sheena and I don't have Desians Most Wanted posters on our heads, so we could easily disguise ourselves and sneak into the joint with our prisoners…" I looked over to the rest of the group. "That is, to say, you guys." Raine gave me a decisive nod of agreement.

"The Desian patrol is coming this way, so it's now or never." Kratos added.

Lloyd pointed out a thicket of trees in the distance. "Okay, let's hide behind those trees and ambush them." We didn't take long in preparing our spot and finding the patrol group approaching. "Alright, let's hurry up and take care of this." Lloyd, Sheena, Kratos and Myself led the charge. I danced on past the two whip-equipped Desians to go after the Sorcerer conjuring up some nasty spell. I smacked him with a Concentration Break before he could muster up the force to fry me. Weaving in between his frustrated staff sweeps, I generously granted decisive blows to his torso as I danced. He slipped up, sending a blow aimed at my head. With a spin and a duck, I corkscrewed a slash up his side, knocking him off of his feet. I took a look back at the fray to find the other members already long finished with their two foes.

I took a look back at the fallen fiend and saw something glint under the tree line. "An Exphere!" I exclaimed, popping the Key Crest off of his hand. "Now I can finally match with you guys." I set the surprisingly heavy metal into my hand, to find it binding to my skin harmlessly. A rush of energy surged through my veins, and my head began to melt into the bliss of the new energy. "W-Wowzers." I realized that the group was giving me odd looks. "Never felt something like this before."

"Let's get out of the area first. We don't know when the enemy may spot us." Raine reminded us as we collected the uniforms.

"Yeah, yeah, you're right." Lloyd acquiesced as we all turned tail and disappeared into the trees. We found a nice clearing far away from the cold steel glare of the Ranch and began to set up camp for the evening. It wasn't long before we had a fire going, and I made a mental note to ask Genis how to conjure flames at one point.

We all sat around the campfire, eating rice balls that Sheena had made before the diminutive Mage piped up. "We're finally going to infiltrate the ranch." I gave a sigh of relief, keeping my sights on my Exphere. The firelight danced through its crystalline structure as I stared blankly at the solidified human life in my hand.

"Wait, we have to decide who will be the Desian." Raine interjected, shaking me from my thoughts.

"What do you mean, Professor? Lloyd managed to mumble out between bites of his dinner.

She gave a frustrated shake of her head at Lloyd's lack of etiquette. "Only one of the Desian uniforms we just obtained looks like it can be used. So everyone else is going to have to be prisoners." Lloyd swallowed, just before raising his hand like a kid who just figured out the answer in Math class, just before Kratos took his hand and lowered it slowly to the ground, giving him a stony gaze as he did so. Sheena and Raine shortly disappeared into the forest, only to return in tight leathery costumes that looked to be built for the bedroom. I focused all of my energy on keeping myself calm while staring at the weaponized bondage costumes. Lloyd began to voice his frustrations of a different nature while I forced myself to look at the stars overhead.

"This isn't about fairness, you know. This is a uniform for females. You won't be able to wear it." She reprimanded, only to have Lloyd turn to the assassin.

"Uh, why do you have Desian clothes too?" He posed at the woman wearing a uniform two sizes too tight around her chest. I tried not to notice this fact as I reached for seconds of the food.

"I was going to infiltrate the base on my own." She replied as I opened up my book and began doodling into it with a feather pen, trying to see if I could accurately draw a Devil's Trap from my time watching Supernatural. Raine gave a nod as she adjusted herself, announcing our immediate departure. Genis snuffed out the fire as I put my belongings away. The moon hung heavily upon the night sky as we returned to the ranch. At the gate, our party was immediately stopped by two of the Sorcerers standing guard.

Raine stepped forward to meet the guards. "We've done it!" She exclaimed, only to raise a questioning glare from behind the guard's visor. "We've found the wanted criminal, Lloyd Irving! The glare turned into a booming cry of surprise and excitement. We were commended heavily as they commanded the gate open. I gave a sigh the moment they closed the doors behind us.

"First part's done." I whispered to myself as we continued our ruse into the plant, far past the patrolling guards into the control room. The whirr of technology sent a pang of homesickness through my chest. We all filed into the spacious room to find a window granting us view of conveyor belts and factory machines.

"It looks like this is an Exphere manufacturing plant." Raine commented as the two women removed their helmets. Kratos gave a grunt of agreement as she did so.

"These are all Expheres? Incredible." The younger swordsman replied in amazement as the packaged crystals made their way down the line. It wasn't long before Colette froze up.

"I hear voices coming from the next room." She warned. I turned my head back to the door across the room, reaching for my book as Genis voiced his confusion at her comment. I ran up the handful of stairs up to the door in question behind Raine and Kratos to find the door open to show a robed man trailed by a couple of men in Desian garb.

"Uh oh. These are the Desians we ran into in the Triet Desert!" Lloyd exclaimed before I reached for my sword. Botta's name attached itself to his face in my mind as I kept a tentative hand on my blade. One of the mooks in back gave a chuckle at Lloyd's presumption.

"Are you looking for a fight?" Kratos asked as he reached for his own dagger. Botta's face turned sour as the mercenary did this, and wordlessly gave the order to retreat, causing his men to run on by our party. Lloyd gave a quizzical look toward the mercenary, which Kratos dismissed with a wave. The Chosen's face drained of color after they left the room, only to begin running toward the door. I took to her tail. As the automatic door opened, I could see three sorcerers just finishing up a combined Fireball spell. I ran in front of her along with Kratos.

I realized immediately that my spell book didn't explicitly name my own technique, so I blurted out the only thing to come to mind. "Blessed Protection!" I conjured up an emerald dome of a shield along with Kratos, taking the brunt of the blow. I heard Lloyd shout my name as I lowered my book and sword with a huff. The Chosen dusted herself of the debris garnered from the fireball, declaring herself fine. As the ringing from the blow left my ears, I heard Kratos shout a warning as I whirled around to a door opening, revealing an older blond man in what seemed to be Saiyan armor from Dragonball Z. I gave a hearty chuckle, much to the party's confusion.

The Saiyan reject stepped forward, a brief flash of annoyance quickly absorbed by a smug look on his angular features. "Well, this is quite a surprise. When I heard we had rats infesting the place, I assumed it was the Renegade, Botta, but instead I find the wanted inferior beings… I must say that I'm quite impressed that you're still alive after that attack." His smirk turned into a predatory grin.

"Who are you!?" Lloyd demanded of the Desian. I felt the soft slap of palm on forehead at the cringe-inducing outburst. The Desian walked into the room proper, keeping up his façade of cool cruelty.

"You barge into my ranch and then demand my name?" I could hear Genis snicker at the circumstances, which seemed to chip away at the great Saiya-elf's smooth demeanor.

"Genis, this is not the time!" Lloyd reprimanded, cooling Genis's jets.

"He's Kvar, one of the Five Desian Grand Cardinals." Kratos muttered grimly.

"Kvar, huh? Aren't you sure you're missing a vowel or two, Kratos?" I asked, stifling a grin myself.

"Quiet whelp. I see that some of you know me, and have some modicum of respect." Kvar took a look at the swordsman's Exphere, giving a small clicking of his tongue as he did so. "Ah, so it's just as Forcystus said." His cool demeanor shattered, giving way to vindication. "That Exphere is without a doubt the product of my Angelus Project!" He boasted. Soldiers began to fill the room behind us, and the Chosen took a quick toss of her razor sharp chakrams at the Grand Cardinal, causing him to jump out of the way of the projectile. I could hear Lloyd commend Colette as I took the chance to run out of the room the same door that Kvar was blocking, leading out into the factory room

The walkways were swarming with Desians, all of which were dealt with shortly by whomever happened to be in the front of the party. We quickly made our way to the end of the line, where we were confronted by nothing but more belts, a line of humans on a belt, and a very large drop into the abyss. "What's happening here?" Lloyd took an aggressive stance toward the confusion as I heard the search party come up behind us.

"This is where the Expheres are removed from the host bodies." Kvar explained coolly. The look of shock slowly registered upon everyone's faces.

"D-Do you mean that Expheres are made from…" She paused, as if she didn't want to choke out the thought. "Human bodies?"

The Desian swatted away her thought like a fly. "Not exactly. Expheres are dormant at first. They extract nourishment from humans to grow and awaken. Human ranches are all simply Exphere manufacturing plants. Why else would we ever spend our time raising and taking care of these inferior beings?"

"That's terrible!" Genis interjected, gathering much of the same reaction from the rest of the group.

"Terrible? Terrible is what you've done. You've been stealing and using Expheres that we've envested so much time and care into producing. You deserved to be punished for these indiscretions." He murmured with whispers of glee, and suddenly the whips and bondage uniforms all made sense. He advanced on us with a small group of whip men in tight clothing.

"A group of men with whips? It's not even my birthday!" I exclaimed, hiding the tension building up in my chest.

"Lloyd, your Exsphere was to be an offering to Lloyd Yggdrasill. It's high time you gave it back." He took just one step forward.

"Yggy Drasill. That your leader? Hella pretty name, I doubt that it's easy to spell." I replied, taking one in return.

"Ugh. Yes. And now for the sake of our great leader, Lord Yggdrasill, and for the sake of my own success, I need that Exsphere!" His grin turned maniacal as he took another, coming within feet of me.

"What's so special about my Exphere?" Lloyd inquired, taking a hold of the crystal-endowed hand in the other.

"That is the result of years of time-consuming research. I can finally reclaim what was stolen from me by that filthy female host body." I looked back, noting Lloyd's confusion turn into enraged realization.

"What are you talking about? What female host body? You're not talking about…" I looked back to the smug half-elf before me.

"…Hm, I suppose you really can be so ignorant. That Exsphere was cultured on host body A012, human name: Anna – Your mother. She took it and escaped from the facility. Of course, she paid for her crime with her life." Giving a mirthful chuckle, he dropped his aggressive stance.

I could feel the rage emanate from the lad behind me. "You… Killed my-"

"Now now, don't blame me for this. I'm not the one that killed Anna. Your father did that for me." Lloyd howled a rebuke at Kvar filled with rage. "Please, when her Key Crest-less Exsphere was removed, Anna turned into nothing but a monster, and your father killed her. Pathetic, don't you think? I could feel even more rage building, coming from the mercenary beside me.

"Do not speak ill of the dead." He commanded sternly, which elicited a laugh from the Cardinal.

"Who cares? They were both a couple of filthy humans, nothing but worthless maggots." He ran a gloved hand over his perfectly-sculpted slicked back blond hair.

"Don't you ever talk about my parents like that!" Lloyd unsheathed a single sword in reply, only to have the retinue of whip men close in on us. The assassin stepped forward with a single hand up between us and them.

"I'm going to use the last one, Grandpa." She whispered as she produced a plain white seal and tossed it on the ground, conjuring a Guardian not unlike the one at the Mausoleum. With a blinding burst of supernatural wind, we were whisked away from the cold walls of the Human Ranch. When my vision returned to normal, all I could see was the dark night sky above us shortly before getting up to my feet. After a word of thanks from the Chosen, Sheena waved her off. "Don't mention it, but what are you doing to do now?"

"Let's return to camp first, before we think about doing anything else. This Desian uniform is quite… distracting." The Professor suggested, to my agreement on both counts. It wasn't too long before we found our old camping spot and set up everything once more. The two women changed back into their old clothes as Genis began quickly preparing sandwiches for everyone. We all sat and ate in complete silence until our Summoner finally spoke.

"I can't believe that Expheres are made from human lives." She mused. Genis choked up a small amount as he stared at his own.

"This is Marble's life." Lloyd gave a sigh as he stopped staring at his Exsphere, ripping it out from its mount with a growl of rage.

"This… This thing!" He snarled, which prompted Colette to come up and place a hand on his shoulder, calming him momentarily.

"Lloyd, wait, what will you accomplish by taking that off? It's not just an Exsphere. It's your mother's life, remember?"

He shook her off coldly. "These… These things make a mockery of human life!"

Kratos put away his own sandwich. "We would have lost long ago if not for these."

"Don't you think I know that?" He barked, clutching the crystal in his hand.

"Do you, now? If you throw that Exsphere away now, then do you think you can finish this journey?" He chastised the young swordsman.

"…Yeah, I know. Without these things, we're just a bunch of weak humans. We can fight only because we have these, I know that. That's not the point; these Exspheres exist as a result of taking someone's life!" He replied.

"Hey, I did pretty well without one, if I do say so myself." I reminded both of them defensively. "You gotta take the good with the bad, son. Life feeds on life feeds on life. This is necessary. "

Colette approached him once more, holding her hands clasped over her heart. "My opinion may not matter much because I don't use an Exsphere like you all, but I believe that the Desians will defeat us if we throw away our Exspheres now. If that happens, more people will lose their lives to these stones. I don't want that to happen; I don't want this journey to be meaningless."

"Colette's right. We can throw away the Exspheres at any time. Right now, though, we must carry the weight of the hopes and dreams of all those victims and fight for their sake, as well as ours. Didn't you say you weren't going to hesitate anymore?" Kratos approached Lloyd, but stopped short as I glanced at him.

"Yeah. I hate to say it, but you're right. Mom's regrets and wishes dwell in this thing. In order to prevent creating more victims like Marble and my Mom. I'm going to help Colette. I will fight for both myself and my mom who lives on within me!" Lloyd announced. I could hear the rest of the party each vocalize their own mirrored sentiments.

"Silas, you seem pretty quiet about this." Lloyd mentioned. I could feel the blood reaching my face. "What do you think?" I panicked on the inside. On the outside, I adopted a fierce grin, hiding the trembling in my heart.

"Mark my words, Lloyd." I walked up to him, taking his hands in my own and raising them up into the sky. "Your hands are going to open a hole in the skies. That hole will be a path for those behind us! The dreams of those who have fallen, the hopes of those who will follow! Those two sets of dreams to become a double helix, drilling a burning path towards tomorrow! And that's Heaven-Piercing! That's you, Lloyd Irving! Your Blades are the Blades that will pierce the heavens!" I approached a crescendo, thrusting them in the air like antennas to Heaven as I shouted. My breathing slowed, and I lowered our hands. "Uh, yeah. That's what I think about it." I gave a nervous chuckle. "I think I'm going to try to sleep now. Everyone should do the same. We've got to sleep before we formulate a game plan for the next step, and I intend to do that while there's still some moonshine." I gave a dismissive wave toward the bewildered party before distancing myself from them and the fire as safely as possible.

I don't remember much else, save the long day of fighting finally taking its toll on my body. With knots weaving themselves through my entire form, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

A/N: Ugh. Spend a week away and you get nothing but itchy fingers. I loved writing this so much I nearly tripled my usual word count. I hope you all liked it. I'd enjoy reviews telling me how you liked reading this, or even if you didn't.


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